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Night view of the Knowledge Centre at Masdar Institute
Masdar City is an emerging global clean technology cluster located
in what aims to be one of the world’s most sustainable urban
developments powered by renewable energy.
This special economic zone, located about 17km from downtown Abu Dhabi, will eventually be home to companies, researchers, and academics from across the globe, creating an international hub for companies and organisations focused on renewable energy and clean technologies. It was a test bed for new approaches to the planning, design, engineering and operational challenges involved in creating environmentally sustainable cities.
Mott MacDonald led infrastructure design across the entire project. The company’s ability to tackle the multifaceted design task using in-house skills and experience helped deliver highly integrated solutions. Interdisciplinary working helped achieve synergies, realise efficiencies and drive innovation. We balanced the demands of energy (thermal and electric) and water to achieve the most efficient and sustainable solution overall.
Masdar City is meeting its energy requirements through renewable sources. Sources on site which were examined include photovoltaics, concentrated solar energy and geothermal sources. These provide electricity, thermal energy and domestic hot water to the city. We carried out modelling to assess the demands of the city and whether this can be met by renewable sources. We also looked at the effect of shading on solar energy and the most efficient mix of renewable sources taking into consideration the efficiency and cost of these sources.
Masdar City will have a metro to carry people into Abu Dhabi central, a light rapid transit system to provide the main transport spine through the city with potential for links to other parts of Abu Dhabi including the airport. The hub of the city has pedestrian friendly streets.
Mott MacDonald provided transport master planning and infrastructure design. Transport options assessed include Personal Rapid Transit system and electric vehicles. Energy and carbon emissions modelling was also carried out.
Masdar City’s district cooling system – which involves pumping chilled water from central plants to buildings across a wide area – is up to 60% more efficient than conventional air conditioning, achieved by combining state of the art technologies including geothermal and solar thermal energy, and chilled beams/floor slabs. Our study included an assessment of liquid desiccant systems as an adjunct to the central system. Our specialised sustainable M&E experts assisted with the studies.
Masdar City’s aim is to divert most solid waste from landfill. Most of the UAE’s fresh water is produced by removing the salt from seawater. To minimise energy consumed by water treatment the ambition is that, through water saving and recycling, supply of fresh water can be significantly reduced from a UAE average of more than 300 litres per person per day. Part of the reduction was achieved through leakage reduction. We used a combination of pipe technology and electronic sensors/meters to identify pressure reduction and therefore leakage.
Masdar City has a nerve system of fibre optic cable, routers and servers, overlaid by mobile communications. State-of-the-art information and communications technology – including smart grids – offers scope for controlling energy use and fine tuning efficiency.
This special economic zone, located about 17km from downtown Abu Dhabi, will eventually be home to companies, researchers, and academics from across the globe, creating an international hub for companies and organisations focused on renewable energy and clean technologies. It was a test bed for new approaches to the planning, design, engineering and operational challenges involved in creating environmentally sustainable cities.
Mott MacDonald led infrastructure design across the entire project. The company’s ability to tackle the multifaceted design task using in-house skills and experience helped deliver highly integrated solutions. Interdisciplinary working helped achieve synergies, realise efficiencies and drive innovation. We balanced the demands of energy (thermal and electric) and water to achieve the most efficient and sustainable solution overall.
Masdar City is meeting its energy requirements through renewable sources. Sources on site which were examined include photovoltaics, concentrated solar energy and geothermal sources. These provide electricity, thermal energy and domestic hot water to the city. We carried out modelling to assess the demands of the city and whether this can be met by renewable sources. We also looked at the effect of shading on solar energy and the most efficient mix of renewable sources taking into consideration the efficiency and cost of these sources.
Masdar City will have a metro to carry people into Abu Dhabi central, a light rapid transit system to provide the main transport spine through the city with potential for links to other parts of Abu Dhabi including the airport. The hub of the city has pedestrian friendly streets.
Mott MacDonald provided transport master planning and infrastructure design. Transport options assessed include Personal Rapid Transit system and electric vehicles. Energy and carbon emissions modelling was also carried out.
Masdar City’s district cooling system – which involves pumping chilled water from central plants to buildings across a wide area – is up to 60% more efficient than conventional air conditioning, achieved by combining state of the art technologies including geothermal and solar thermal energy, and chilled beams/floor slabs. Our study included an assessment of liquid desiccant systems as an adjunct to the central system. Our specialised sustainable M&E experts assisted with the studies.
Masdar City’s aim is to divert most solid waste from landfill. Most of the UAE’s fresh water is produced by removing the salt from seawater. To minimise energy consumed by water treatment the ambition is that, through water saving and recycling, supply of fresh water can be significantly reduced from a UAE average of more than 300 litres per person per day. Part of the reduction was achieved through leakage reduction. We used a combination of pipe technology and electronic sensors/meters to identify pressure reduction and therefore leakage.
Masdar City has a nerve system of fibre optic cable, routers and servers, overlaid by mobile communications. State-of-the-art information and communications technology – including smart grids – offers scope for controlling energy use and fine tuning efficiency.